Steering-gear lock



March 25, 1924:

y J. P. LAVIGNE STEERING GEAR LOCK Filed May.l9, 1919 5f fwlww@ @www ngaZZ ZZ Patented Mar. 25, M524.

STEERING-GEAR LO CK.

Application led May 19,

To @ZZ tti/lome't may concern:

Be it lm ovv'n that l, Josnrrr P, Lavronn,

's' .1 .L .il ,'t. a citizen ol rnc Unit-ed States oi ..-.meiica,

residingl at Detroit9 in the county of layne and State o^'1lllichigf=n.have invented certain nerr and useful lniprovernents in Steering-(lY arLocks, or `which the following is a specilication, reference being hadtherein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to lozlrs, and has special reference to thatclass ot locltine; devices used or'loclringr the steering gear of anautomobile or similar vehicle so that the vehicle cannot be stolen orsurrep'titiously removed. y

The primary object of my invention is to combine a hey operated lock andpermutation loch in a manner that. permits ot said loc-lr cooperatinginV positively loclri a steering shalt, post or other member againstrotation. and provision is made so that the locks or parts associatedtherewith cannot be conveniently tampered with in an endeavor to releasethe rotatable member held thereby.

Another object of my invention is to combine a lrey operated lool; and apermutation lock in such a manner that the Key operated loclr cannot beoperated until the permutation loch correctly positioned to provideclearance tor a. movable element oi the key operated lock. therebynecessitating; an understanding of the permutation lock in order thatthe same may be seiL to permit oit the lkey operated lock being used.The tivo loclrs are combined so that easy access` may be had to eitherwhen the locking device is associated with a steering column, it beinglocated at the juncture oi the colunm with the dash or control board ofan automolrlle7 so as not to interfere with a steering Wheel or anyother devices at the upper end of the steering column. Then again,provision is made so that the locking device may be held by the dash orcontrol board ot the automobile. and permit ot the steering column beingplaced at a dcsired angle relative thereto. In this man ner. the lockingdevice becomes applicable to he steering columns of various types ofautomobiles.

i iliurther object of my invention is to provide a locking device 'tor arotary member which provided with a lined locking member and areciprocable locking mein- 1919. Serial No. 297,930.

ber. Novel means is associated with the lifted locltine' member so toprevent its removal and the greater part of my locking device isassociated with the reciprocable member so that said member may beemployed to prevent rotation oi the rotary inembe" when saidreciprocable member is locked in engagement with a liz-ted member of therotary member. it is therefore possible to use the loclrino; mechanismin connection with any rotary member having a support in proximitythereto Afor the lock* ing mechanism.

il. still further object of my invention is to provide a lockingmechanism ot the above type that is durable and occupies a comparativelysmall space relative to the rotary member or element to be held thereby,and the mechanical construction by Which l atresnlts Will be hereinafterspecilically r scribed and then claimed.

leierence Will now be had to the drawwherein- Figure l is a longitudinalsectional view ot the locking device as applied to a. steering column;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line lllll ot l;

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view taken on the line lll-ll of Fig. l;

4f is a similar vieu* taken on the line lll- IV ot Fig. l and -Ls Fig. 5is a side elevation ot a portion of the lock.

ln the drawing. the reference numeral l denotes the steering columncontaining a steering shal't 2 and the lower end of the 4column l issupported by a tubular casing l having aperturcd ears il between whichef;- tend the barrel 5 of a supporting plate 6. rlhe supporting plate (lis adapted to be connected by screvvs l or other fastening means to thedash or control board 8 of an automobile. said dash having an opening 9providing clearance for the casing 3 and the barrel so that the casing 3can be pivotallv ronnected to the barrel 5 by a pivot. pin or rivet i0,best shown in Alizgg. l ot the drawing. This pivotal connection betvveenthe casing 3 and the supporting plate 6 permits of the casing 3 beingsupported at a desired angle relative to the dash 83 and it is thereforepossible to install my locking deviceI on any stemfing column since thelocking device will conform to the angle of said column relative to thedash or control board of an automobile.

Mounted on the steering shaft 2 within the upper end of the casing 3 isa locking member 11 which has the lower end thereof provided with aseries of teeth or notches 12 and the upper end thereof reduced, as at13 and connected to the steering shaft 2 by screws 14, said screwshaving the heads thereof counter-sunk in the reduced end 13 ofthelocking member 11. The reduced end 13 of said locking member providesclearanceV for a guard sleeve 15 which surrounds the reduced end 13 ofthe locking member in the'steering column 1 and the casing 3, saidsleeve preventing easy access to the heads of the vscrews 14, andprovision isv made, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, for loc-kingthe sleeve 15 against surreptitions removal.

-Slidable on the steering shaft 2 in the lower end of the casing 3 is areciprocable locking member 16 having teeth or notches 17 adapted tointerlock with the teeth or notches 12 of the fixed locking member 11,and the lower end of the reciprocable locking member 16, has a pluralityof tongues 18 extending between inwardly projecting lugs 19 carried bythe casing 3, said lugs cooperating with the tongues 18 in preventingrotation of the reciprocable locking member 16 relative to the casing 3,but not interfering with the reciprocablemove;nent ot said lockingmember relative to the fined locking member 11.

The lower wall of the casing 3, adjacent the dash 8, has a transverselock housing 2O and a longitudinal lock housing 21, these housingscommunicating, as best shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The housing 2O iscylindrical or tubular with one end thereof closed, with the exceptionof a smallkey hole 22 and the opposite end of said housing is closed bya permanent end plate 23. This permanent end plate during themanufacture of the lock permits of a well known type of key operatedlock mechanism being installed in the housing 20, and the lock.mechanism has been generally designated 211 and includes tumblers, a keyto actuate the tumblers and a holder for said tumblers. Associated withthe lock mechanism and adapted to be turned or partially rotated therebyis an arm 25 having a sector gear 2G meshing with a rack 1Ga formingpart ot the reciprocable locking member 16, and with the lockingmechanism eccentrically disposed withinthe housing 20, the arm 25 canonly be swung in the direction of the housing 21 which is adapted toprovide clearance for the movement of said arm. As shown in Fig. 1, thearm 25 can only be swung in a clockwise direction, and such movement ofthe arm imparts movement to the reciproeable locking member 16 which 29having a stein 30 extending through the Y head 2T and connected by aplurality of pins 3l to a rotatable dial member 32 set in the end et thehousing 21 and Aprovided with a knob 33. The pins 1 permit of the dialmember being reset relative to the rotary member 29. so as to change thecombination ot the lock, and the dial member normally fixed relative tothe rotatable member 29 by a center screw 34 or other connecting means.rlhe confronting faces of the rotatable member 29 and the head 27 aregrooved7 as at to accommodate a coiled expansion spring 36, and theexpansive force et said spring is adapted to main-V tain the dial member3 2 normally seated in the outer end et the housing 21,yet permit ofsaid dial member being revolved relative to the housing. The dial member32 has suit able indicia to 'facilitate setting said dial member so asto correctly position the rotatable member 29 `within the housing. Therotatable member 29 has vits inner end provided with akerf or groove 37and when this kert' or groove is disposed in the plane el? the path ettravel of arm 25, it provides clearance for such arm, whereby the keyoperated lock may he operated to swing the arm 25 clockwise and retractthe reciprocable locking` member 1G relative to the lined locking member.11.

To lock the sleeivrx 15 against accidental displacement or remo nl. thereciprocable locking` me1nl1-er1ohas its upper toothed end provided witha resilient detent 33, and the upper end oli safl detent terminates inan angnlarly disposed Vtooth or end 4 0 adapted to engage in an annulargroove 39 provided therefor inthe inner end of the sleeve The toothedend of the detent is also adapted to ride over a pin l0 which islocated'withinthe casing 3 and constitutes a cam 'for forcing thetoothll of the detent 3i. into thel groove 39 et the sleeve l5. therebylocking the sleeve against displacement when the reciprocable lockingmember 1G is in engagement with the fixed locking member 11. The tooth41 of the detent 38 is shaped to ride'out oit' engagement with thesleeve` 15 when the locking member 16 is retracted, and it will be notedthat the casingf is cut away to provide clearance for said detent. Y iFrom the foregoing, it will be observed that it is necessary to setuthepermutation ooV lill.)

operated ris shown in tate tie locking` me relativ-e to t with the loction is 2 and tlx, and kep( locking member 1G. ,7, it is impossible torol 'lt 2 by reason of the beir g non-rota:` able DQ U- laerlymanipulated and retracted. then the ber il may be rotated in vthe usualmanner.

It -is preferable to make the casino` 3 and expose parte of the iockingmech sin of case harden' or drillproof mer-Jal so that it will be pracYally impossible for the locking mecha` to be destroyed with a vien' ofappropiiatirr an automobile or vehicle having sm locked by themechanism.

lVhile in the drawing` there is illustrated a preferred embodiment of myinvention, it is to be understood that the structural elements aresusceptible to such variations and modifications as fall Within thescope of the appended claims.

What l claim is l. In a steering gear lock, a reciprocable lockingmember, a key operated lock adapt-- ed to reciprocate said member, saidlock having` a member movable on an anis the line of which extendsentirely outside the path of travel of the reciprocable member, and apermutation lock operative in the control of the operation of said keyoperated lock.

2. A lock as characterized in claim l, and wherein the key operated lockincludes an arm and 'the permutation lock has a kerf movable into andout of the path of travel of the arm t-o selectively provide clearancefor the movement of the arm of said key operated lock.

3. In a steering gear lock, a rotatable locking` member, a non-rotatablereciprocable locking member adapted to be shifted into and out ofengagement with said rotatable locking member, a key operated lockadapted to shift said reciprocable locking member said lock having` amember movable on an axis the line of Which extends entirely outside thepath of travel of the reciprocable member, and a permut-ation lockoperative in the control of the operation of said key Operated lock.

4L. A lock as characterized in claim 3, and wherein the key operatedlock includes an arm and the permutation lock has a kerf movable intoand out of the path of travel of the arm to selectively provideclearance for the movement of the arm of said key operated lock.

5. In a lock for a steering shaft, a casing a (l said key op "1f 1 b apermutation lock adjoinin,L erated lock and operative in the control ofthe operation thereof.

t5. fr lecty as characterized in claim 5, and aber b rmeratrfd loci.;nelif Q .:llli L i :1 arm and the 'permutation lock has a kerf movableinto and out of the path of' travel.

of the arm to selectively provide clearance for the movement of the armor" said key operated lock.

7. steering gear lock as in claim l characterized by a rack d `gearconnection between the reciprocable locking member and the key-operatedlock to provide a permanently-operative engagement therebetween.

in a l-r or fiecring gear, the combi nation of a steering shaft, acasing through which said shaft extends, a fixed locking member on saidshaft, a guard sleeve for said fined lockingmember, a recigrocablelockirnov member on said shaft non-rotatable relative to said casing,means adapted for shifting; said reciprocable locking member in and outof engagement with said fixed locking member, and means carried by saidreciprocable locking` member adapted for locking said guard sleeve.

9. In steering,` gear locks and Wherein a reciprocable locking member isadapted to be moved into and out of, engagement with a complementalmember carried by the steering post, means operative in the control ofthe operation of the reciprocable member, said means including` twolocking instrumentalities differing in operating characteristics, one ofsaid instrumentalities being in permanent operating engage ment withsaid member and adapted to provide the movements of the reciprocablelocking member, the other instrumentality being operative to controlwhen the iirst instrumentality may be operated to break. the engagementbetween the locking mem bers.

l0. Means as in claim 9 characterized in that movement of the firstinstrumentality to restore the members to locked condition isindependent of second instrumentality manipulation.

ll. Means as in claim 9 characterized in tnat the first instrumentalityis in the form of a key-operated lock positioned to locate its axialline Wholly Without the longitudinal planes of the locking members.

1,2. Means as in claim 9 characterized in that the reciprocable lockingmember carries a rack and the lock instrumentality in @hides a gear inpermanent mesh With the rack, whereby movements of the gear by the lockwill move the member between the iember locking)` and unlocking`positions.

13. The eombinationof a Steering shai't,

a non-Arotatabie reciproeable. lockingmem-- ber sleeved on said shaftand adapted for holding said sha-tt stationary, said member havinga rackformation as permanent part thereof, and a lock includinga gearcro-operative with said rack for reciprocating` said locking member.

14. The combination of a steering shaft, a casing` through which saidsteering shaft extends7 a A non-rotatable looking member 15 sleeved onsaid shaft in said Casing, and adapted fer lholding` said shaftstationary, said member having a rack formation as a permanent partthereof, a lock including a gear eo-operative with said rack for reeip-20 rocating; said looking member, and supportinf;` means 'for saideasing.

in testimony whereof I afIiX my Signature .in the presence oi twowitnesses.

JOSEPH P. LAVIGNE. Titnesses r Y ANNA' M. Donn` Crus. iV. STAUFFIGEP..

